| ructivism is a huge fad in contemporary education. | | | | teacher is to say, “Here is Japan. Tokyo is |
| Usually wrapped in big bouquets of jargon, | | | | the capital.” Kids can talk all day but they |
| Constructivism is not easy to evaluate. So what is | | | | will never construct this information. So how do |
| this thing? | | | | kids learn any geography? |
| Used in a reasonable way, Constructivism is just a | | | | How about history? Teachers used to point out |
| fancy word for the Socratic method, where | | | | the events and names, the dates, the battles, the |
| students talk their way into discovering new | | | | famous personalities, and help students see the |
| insights. Here’s the ideal scenario. A group | | | | relationships and priorities among all these things. |
| of students, by discussion and argument, with little | | | | But in Constructivism teachers are not allowed to |
| nudges from a teacher, discover a destination | | | | point out anything. Rather, the teacher is |
| they did not know existed. When educators | | | | supposed to script little journeys into the |
| promote Constructivism, they usually paint this | | | | unknown, so that students create/discover/invent |
| happy picture. | | | | their own new knowledge. So how will they ever |
| The trouble is, our educators don’t know | | | | learn about the events of the French Revolution? |
| when to stop. In its more common form, the | | | | Additionally, teachers are supposed to be familiar |
| theory of Constructivism insists that authentic | | | | with the “prior knowledge” that |
| education occurs in only one way: children must | | | | each student brings to the classroom. Think about |
| construct their own new knowledge. Meanwhile, | | | | the huge burden this entails. Not only must |
| teachers can no longer teach (i.e., be a sage on a | | | | teachers cease instructing, they must be |
| stage). They must guide from the side or, better | | | | concerned with any bits of knowledge that |
| still, prompt from the back of the room. Trouble | | | | children already have in their heads. Do you |
| is, this process unfolds slowly and, due to time | | | | remember a time when the whole point was to |
| constraints, concentrates on a few topics while | | | | remedy the ignorance of students? Now the point |
| ignoring many others of equal value. | | | | is for teachers to pay homage to that very |
| Worst of all, Constructivism demands that classes | | | | ignorance. |
| be organized in just the prescribed way. Before | | | | Perhaps you are thinking that Constructivism |
| you know it, curricula must be rewritten, books | | | | would work better in math and science. |
| tossed out, schools and classrooms redesigned, | | | | I’m sure there are ideal scenarios where |
| and the training and responsibilities of teachers | | | | students could be maneuvered into discovering |
| overhauled. Thus a wisp of theory becomes an | | | | something, more or less for themselves. But |
| all-devouring hoax. | | | | these will be special cases, rare cases. Teachers |
| Here’s where Constructivism can end up. | | | | have to spend a lot of effort stage-managing |
| It legitimizes what students find time to invent, | | | | these eureka-moments. So on the one hand |
| and ignores everything else. | | | | teachers can’t teach, but on the other |
| The ignored things tend to be the traditional | | | | hand they’re expected to be creators of |
| basics and academics, the material that kids used | | | | Broadway scenes, all built around the tidbits which |
| to learn before Constructivism declared | | | | children already know. It’s a lot to ask. |
| it’s no longer valid because the students | | | | You can imagine how long the process takes. |
| did not themselves construct any of it! For | | | | Constructivists scorn simply learning stuff. But in |
| example, if students don’t get around to | | | | most subjects, most of the time, that is precisely |
| constructing George Washington, know what? He | | | | what students need to do ASAP. |
| doesn’t exist. | | | | Constructivism seems to me another of those |
| Instead of being an all-purpose road to truth, | | | | poetically touted pedagogies that, at the end of |
| Constructivism can be highly selective, favoring | | | | the year, result in less education, not more. I fear |
| the knowledge that children can be led to | | | | it’s in the same tradition as Whole Word, |
| discover. In practice, we’re talking about a | | | | New Math and many other mirages so beloved |
| much reduced store of knowledge. | | | | by our educators. A better name is arguably |
| Let’s reflect on that “ideal | | | | Destructivism. |
| scenario” where students discuss their | | | | (For complete analysis, see “34: The Con |
| way to an unseen destination. How would that | | | | in Constructivism” on |
| work in geography? Traditionally, the job of the | | | | Improve-Education.org. |